Team Development

Our objective is to support your team in working with our herd of horses – as simple as that. Or is it?

I am always amazed by how many words we have for “team” – herd, flock, pride, gaggle, gang, community, pack and many more. In all cases the reality of working together has a benefit.

In some situations behaviour within a group or team can be destructive. Horses are prey animals, they either work as a herd or risk being eaten, they have no time for internal politics or being off message – and they don’t tolerate it in us – this is their gift to us.

What is the value to you and your organisation of an effective team?

Working with horses enables us to distinguish the fundamentals of a team in a new way – helping us to experience, understand and adopt the qualities of highly effective teams – integrity, respect, diversity, shared values, leadership, trust, balance (and others appropriate to particular teams).

How can you ensure that your team development programmes are achieving what your team needs?

Horses live in the moment, their survival depends on their ability to “read” what is going on within the herd and what, from outside, is threatening. They sense without judgement what is going on for us as members of a team – and if we are clear and 100% present to our goals they will follow – if not they will probably be curious or frightened of something they perceive as more important(!).